Don’t get me wrong: I’m no rogue. But the concept of not having a boss borders on exciting and confusing. The inquisitive side of me wonders things like who would really be on the hook for mistakes (especially with company money), who can mediate when peers aren’t working up to standard or meeting service level agreements and stuff like that. Yet, I find it exciting to consider the possibility of working in a world where “Employees negotiate responsibilities with their peers”; “There are no titles and promotions”; where “Compensation decisions are peer-based.” No bosses people! No bureaucracy. No lag times for decisions which, in reality, should be made swiftly in order to be effective. No frustration over explaining to someone two levels up from you what it is that you really do, and why their decision or new process—in a nutshell—sucks. I could create my own budget where people aren’t impacted (read: laid off). What utopia it must be to utilize talent and skill free from a world of control disguised as standards, conventions, budgets and deadlines.

Yes, utopia.

This model doesn’t work for everyone, I’m sure. There are some industries where individuals need oversight, which surely results in some form of bureaucracy. However, the
HBR has a few tips and suggestions for creating an environment fashioned after Morning Star, even if not exactly so, without such “radical decentralization:

Because the “boss is the mission”, ask the team to write down their personal mission statements. This allows for a shift from rule-driven compliance to peer-driven accountability

Look for ways to expand employee autonomy. Maybe start by allowing the employees to create their own budgets, determine project deadlines or something else

Equip each team with its own P&L account. This gets to personal accountability driven by information—let everyone know the impact of their decisions

Look for ways to erase the distinctions between those who manage and those who are managed. Bravo! I love this because leaders should be accountable too

Even following these four steps can make a huge impact. We have to move from the god-complex of our current management systems to a more servant-based leadership. Then, perhaps, we could see productivity increases not as a result of less people doing more, but as a result of really engaged people and high performing teams making a difference.